May 2017                       Issue 36
In This Issue
Town of West Hartford - Department of Public Works Open House
Share the Road with Pedestrians, Bicyclists and Motorcyclists - Safety is Everyone's Responsibility
Tips from Tony
June - National Safety Month
National Public Works Week - May 21-27, 2017
Tips from Tony - Answer
Town of West Hartford - Department of Public Works Open House 

The West Hartford Department of Public Works will be hosting its fifth annual Open House on Saturday, May 20, 2017, in observance of National Public Works Week. This year's theme is "Public Works Connects Us".
 
Instituted in 1960, National Public Works Week calls attention to the  importance of public works in our  community life.The week of May 21-27, 2017 seeks to salute and thank the thousands of public works professionals who work tirelessly to assure a higher quality of life for our communities.
 
At the event there will be an equipment show, poster display, and paper shredding event. Children can sit in big trucks. Equipment used in the day-to-day operations will be on display. Representatives from various departments will be available to answer questions. Attendees can enter a free drawing for a bulky or metal waste pick-up.
 
During the Open House, Covanta Energy will hold a free residential paper shredding event for West Hartford residents.
 
For more information regarding this event, click here
Share the Road with Pedestrians, Bicyclists and Motorcyclists - Safety is Everyone's Responsibility, However We Get Around 
 
Americans are increasingly choosing walking, running, and bicycling to stay active, run errands, and as an alternative to the daily drive to work - particularly when warmer weather arrives. Regrettably, as more people are leaving their cars and trucks behind, pedestrian and cyclist deaths in motor vehicle-related crashes have increased. However you get around - behind the wheel, on a bike, or on foot - you have a responsibility to share the road so we can all safely get to where we're going.
 
In 2015, motor-vehicle-related crashes claimed the lives of 5,376 pedestrians - an increase of 9% over the previous year - and injured an estimated 70,00 people. Deaths among bicyclists rose by 10%, with motor-vehicle-related crashes taking 818 lives and injuring an estimated 45,000 bicyclists.
 
No one - no driver, bicyclists, or pedestrian - has sole rights to the road. It is a shared space where we all have rights and responsibilities.  To continue this article,  click here .

The CT T2 Center will be hosting a Safety Academy workshop - Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) .  For more information,  click here.
Tips from Tony
 
Some signalized intersections do not have separate or modern pedestrian signal heads at marked or unmarked crosswalks. As a pedestrian using a signalized intersection, would you know what to do when facing circular green, yellow, or red signal indications? How about when facing green, yellow, or red arrow indications, or flashing indications?
Find the answer at the bottom of the newsletter.
 
If you have roadway safety questions please contact:
Anthony Lorenzetti, P.E. - Safety Circuit Rider
(860) 486-5847 or anthony.lorenzetti@uconn.edu
June - National Safety Month 

June will be here before you know it and that means it's time to get ready for National Safety Month! This year the National Safety Council (NSC) is focused on the message Keep Each Other Safe. You can help with NSC's mission to eliminate preventable death in our lifetime while also watching out for the people you care about - at work, on the road, and in your homes and communities.

As we draw closer to June, the NSC will provide free materials to help get the word out, including a poster, tip sheets and graphics for each of the following weekly topics: 
  • Week 1: Stand Up to Falls
  • Week 2: Recharge to Be in Charge
  • Week 3: Prepare for Active Shooters
  • Week 4: Don't Just Sit There
Click here to view NSC's resources. 

The CT T2 Center has many safety resources, such as: 
  • Emergency Response Resources for Public Works 
  • T2 Tailgate Talks
  • Tech Briefs
  • Supervisor's Signposts
  • Worker Safety Briefs
  • Work Zone Safety for Law Enforcement
Click here to view these valuable resources! 
National Public Works Week - May 21-27, 2017

Every year National Public Works Week gets bigger and better. The number of participating municipalities continues to grow, which means the number of citizens who are exposed to the value of public works grows. At the American Public Works Association (APWA), one of their main goals is to educate the general public about the value and necessities of public works projects throughout North America, and public works professionals like you are the best ambassadors.
Since 1960, APWA has sponsored National Public Works Week. Across North America, more than 29,000 members in the U.S. and Canada use this week to energize and educate the public on the importance of public works to their daily lives: planning, building, managing and operating at the heart of their local communities to improve everyday quality of life.

APWA encourages public works agencies and professionals to take the opportunity to make their stories know in their communities. The APWA offers several resources to assist agencies in the development and implementation of their own individual celebrations. Click here to view these awesome resources. 
Tips from Tony ~ Answer

A pedestrian should only always cross on a circular green, flashing red or flashing yellow signal indication, they may only cross on other indications if they are directed by a pedestrian signal or other device, however they still must yield to vehicles that are already in the intersection at the beginning of the green signal. 
The MUTCD Section 4D.04 and pages 451-452 provides standards for their use.  For more information,  click here .
If you have any ideas or suggestions for future Connecticut Crossroads topics, please feel free to email the designer Regina Hackett at regina.hackett@uconn.edu.